Cabinet shelf with keyed slot
A metal cabinet assembly has first and second opposed side walls and at least one shelf interposed between the first and second side walls. The shelf has a first planar member including at least one elongated slot formed through the first planar member. A second member includes a first wall which extends from the first planar member. A first curved portion is formed between the first wall and the first planar member wherein the first wall has at least one key-shaped opening formed through the first planar wall and substantially aligned with the elongated slot. The key-shaped opening has various configurations.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 7,452,039, which was filed as application Ser. No. 10/915,450, on Aug. 10, 2004, which claimed priority to Provisional Application No. 60/513,380, filed on Oct. 22, 2003.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention relates generally to units for storage. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved shelf member for a cabinet, such as a metal cabinet.
Metal cabinets and compartment bins are very versatile in that the cabinets can be placed in many areas, such as metal or woodworking shops, garages, as well as many other places. The cabinets and compartment bins can also provide storage in vehicles, such as trucks and vans. Metal cabinets have been used to store a variety of items such as threaded rod, wire, brake line, welding rods, as well as more common items, such as tools and fasteners.
When storing an item on a cabinet shelf, it can be difficult to retrieve the item if the shelf is substantially horizontal. For example, if one is trying to scoop a handful of bolts from a shelf, the vertical and straight front wall of the shelf tends to make it difficult to pull the bolts off the shelf.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a cabinet with a shelf which aids in manually removing loose items from the cabinet.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a shelf for a cabinet includes a planar member and a ramp extending at an obtuse angle from the planar member. The ramp includes a substantially key-shaped opening formed in the ramp.
A cabinet includes first and second opposing side walls and a shelf mounted to at least one of the side walls. The shelf includes a ramped front portion. The ramped front portion includes a substantially key-shaped opening.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method for assembling a cabinet having two opposing side walls, a shelf having a ramped front portion and a substantially key-shaped opening formed in the front portion, and a divider includes the following steps: mounting the shelf to one of the side walls of the cabinet, and inserting the divider into the key-shaped opening.
Still other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will in part be obvious and in part pointed out in the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the disclosure only, and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure,
With reference now to
Ramped front portion 22 is positioned opposite the rear wall 18. Referring now to
With reference back to
The ramped front portion 22 also includes a plurality of openings or slots 38 aligned with rear slots 32 and front slots 34. Slots 38 in the ramped front portion also receive the same dividers 36 that slots 32 and 34 receive. Referring now to
The ramped front portion 22 further provides an abutment formed by the curved or sloped portion 25 so that when the user attempts to retrieve a handful of items from a compartment that is defined by two adjacent dividers 36 and the shelf 10, the ramped front portion serves as a scoop to aid the user in retrieving items from the shelf. There are no sharp edges for the items to become trapped in and become harder to retrieve. Furthermore, items that are not retrieved will roll back into the shelf and not fall from the shelf.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The shelf member has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon the reading and understanding of this specification. The specification is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A metal cabinet assembly comprising:
- first and second opposed side walls;
- at least one shelf interposed between said first and second side walls, said shelf comprising a first planar member including at least one elongated slot formed through the first planar member;
- said shelf further comprises a second member including a first wall which extends from the first planar member, wherein a first curved portion is formed between said first wall and said first planar member, wherein said first wall is formed by a continuous radius extending between said first curved portion and a second curved portion wherein said first wall has at least one key-shaped opening formed through said first wall and substantially aligned with the at least one elongated slot, said key-shaped opening having a first elongated oval-shaped portion at a first end of said key-shaped opening and a second portion extending from said first elongated portion;
- said second member includes a second wall extending vertically from said second curved portion wherein said second wall and said first wall have no parallel portions with respect to each other, wherein said second wall terminates in a rolled edge; wherein said second curved portion is formed between said second wall and said first wall and wherein said key-shaped opening is formed between said first curved portion and said second curved portion.
2. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein said shelf further comprises a third wall which extends substantially orthogonally from the first planar member.
3. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein said key-shaped opening first portion comprises an elongated portion formed adjacent an intersection of the first wall and the second wall of said second member.
4. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein the second wall of said second member is situated substantially perpendicular to the first planar member.
5. The cabinet assembly of claim 4, wherein said key-shaped opening first portion is wider than said key-shaped opening second portion.
6. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein said first curved portion comprises a radius.
7. The cabinet assembly of claim 1 wherein said second curved portion comprises a radius.
8. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises first and second walls substantially parallel to each other and third and fourth walls substantially parallel to each other, wherein said first and second walls are longer than said third and fourth walls.
9. The cabinet assembly of claim 8, further comprising corners formed between said first and second walls and said third and fourth walls, wherein said corners are rounded.
10. The cabinet assembly of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises first and second walls which are tapered toward each other.
11. The cabinet assembly of claim 10, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises third and fourth walls substantially parallel to each other, wherein said third wall is longer than said fourth wall.
12. The cabinet assembly of claim 11, further comprising corners formed between said first and second walls and said third and fourth walls, wherein said corners are rounded.
13. A metal cabinet assembly comprising:
- first and second opposed side walls;
- at least one shelf interposed between said first and second side walls, said shelf comprising a first planar member including at least one elongated slot formed through the first planar member;
- said shelf further comprises a second member including a first wall which extends from the first planar member, wherein a first curved portion is formed between said first wall and said first planar member, wherein said first wall has at least one key-shaped opening formed through said first wall and substantially aligned with the at least one elongated slot, said key-shaped opening having a first elongated oval-shaped portion at a first end of said key-shaped opening and a second elongated portion extending from said first elongated portion;
- said second member includes a second wall extending vertically from said first wall of said second member wherein said first wall and said second wall have no parallel portions relative to each other, wherein said second wall terminates in a rolled edge; wherein a second curved portion extends between said first wall and said second wall; and
- wherein said first wall comprises a continuous radius extending between said first and second curved portions.
14. The cabinet assembly of claim 13, wherein said continuous radius of said first wall comprises a radius in the range of 0.75 to 4 inches.
15. The cabinet assembly of claim 13, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises first and second walls substantially parallel to each other and third and fourth walls substantially parallel to each other, wherein said first and second walls are longer than said third and fourth walls.
16. The cabinet assembly of claim 13, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises first and second walls which are tapered toward each other.
17. The cabinet assembly of claim 16, wherein said first portion of said key-shaped slot comprises third and fourth walls substantially parallel to each other, wherein said third wall is longer than said fourth wall.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 13, 2008
Date of Patent: Oct 16, 2012
Assignee: Metal Fabricating Corporation (Cleveland, OH)
Inventors: Bernard J. Golias, Jr. (Twinsburg, OH), Robert J. Golias (Solon, OH), Gary W. James (Parma Heights, OH), Gary R. Kish (Parma, OH), Bernard J. Golias, Sr. (Hinckley, OH)
Primary Examiner: Janet M Wilkens
Attorney: Fay Sharpe LLP
Application Number: 12/270,549
International Classification: A47F 5/00 (20060101);